The problem with zoos is that you have to keep them open

2016 Update: It's still happening, to the surprise of no one:
http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2016-01-22/animals-at-gazas-zoos-die-of-hunger-diseases
"The same story is playing out across Gaza's six makeshift zoos. Years of conflict, cold winters, longstanding negligence and outbreaks of disease have killed many animals in captivity."
-and-
"Of the six ostriches, only one is still alive. The lions and the only llama died in December. There are no more crocodiles. The dead animals are primitively stuffed and stacked in a corner of the zoo."


Original post:
I saw this online today, and couldn't help but think that if the zoo didn't exist in the first place, this never would have happened.   Why does the tiny Gaza Strip need FIVE zoos?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2936551/Sentenced-death-world-s-worst-zoo-Dozens-animals-starve-animal-attraction-Gaza.html
(warning more graphic pictures in linked article)

Taken from their natural habitat, these animals were 100% dependent on people, and people let them down.  From their poses, it's nice to think that the animals simply went to sleep, but I doubt it was that simple.